Burris' chief of staff quits

February 20, 2009

U.S. Sen. Roland Burris' chief of staff has quit, another signal of the mounting pressures facing Burris amid calls by top Democrats in Illinois for him to step down.

Darrel Thompson was detailed three weeks ago by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to serve as Burris' chief of staff, a move that some Democrats saw as an effort by the leadership to help try to keep a watchful eye on the novice junior senator from Illinois. Thompson had been chief of staff for Barack Obama's 2004 U.S. Senate campaign.

In his resignation announcement, Thompson said he would resume his full-time duties in Reid's office as a senior adviser to the Senate majority leader.

"Though my tenure was relatively brief, I enjoyed and valued my time with Senator Burris, his entire staff and his other advisors," Thompson said in a statement released by Burris'office. The senator's office declined comment.

Thompson's move may be a telling sign of how Reid and the Senate Democratic leadership in Washington feels about Burris' political fate. Reid and his top deputy, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) were both displeased over Burris' evolving testimony and statements over contacts Burris had with allies of the man who appointed him to the Senate, tarnished ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Earlier today, Gov. Patrick Quinn called for Burris to resign and White House Press Secy. Robert Gibbs said Burris should use the weekend to "think of what lays in his future."